Induratize
by XxSasuNaruLovexX
Summary: Induratize: verb, Latin origin. To make one's own heart hardened or resistant to someone's pleas or advances, or the idea of love. He was the shadow that haunted my thoughts. It's easy for me to shut everyone else out, but I felt like I couldn't build a wall high enough to push the thought of him away from me. SasuNaru. Naruto's POV.


I was laying on the roof of the school, watching the world pass over my head. It's these moments that I live for, I don't have much else. I've been raising myself since I was sixteen. My mom died in child birth and I grew tired of my father's abusiveness. I emancipated myself and used the money I raised at my low income jobs to get a shitty apartment in the city. I've been alone my whole life and that's what I'm used to and that's how I like it.

The bell rings and I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder. I walk to my next class and then he passes me and I feel stunned for a second. Sasuke Uchiha, the richest guy in town, and the most popular boy in school. I've only caught a look into his eyes once and that's when he trapped me. His eyes remind me of my own and that drew me in. I quickly regain my resolve and walk forward.

I walk into art class, empty minded and I open my sketch book. I'm used to the smear of graphite on my fingers and eraser shavings all over my clothes. I've found true peace in drawing, I guess it helps me drown the demons that are dwelling deep inside me. "Naruto?" asks. "Uh, yes sir?" I say back. "You were distracted. I was just talking about today's assignment." He smiles at me. I smile back weakly, "I'm sorry sir, please repeat it for me." I say. "Today we are going to do a conceptual drawing with charcoal. Portray something in your mind on paper." He retells the class. I frown a bit, he just had to pick that subject, and I'm too good at it, because it's what I've done for long. I flip to a blank page in my sketch book to a fresh page. I've always like the idea of a blank piece of a paper, a clean slate, to do with whatever I want. When I draw, if I mess up, I can always try again with no repercussions. I wish life was that way.

I begin shading and draw, I'm so into my work that I don't even hear the bell ring, I'm not even finished yet. "Naruto, you can finish the assignment tonight and turn it in on Monday, enjoy the weekend!" smiles. "Thank you sir, you too." I smile.

I open my locker and shove my textbooks in, my sketchpad safely at my side. I walk out to the courtyard and take a seat against the wall and watch my fellow classmates pass by. I flip open my sketch book and continue my work on my piece. I pull my pack of cigarettes from my pocket and put one in my mouth. I light it up and take a deep inhale. It's sad, but they help me think better.

"Can I bum one of those?" I hear a voice ask. I look up and my heart skips, it's Sasuke Uchiha. "Uh, yeah." I hand him a cigarette and light it up for him. "Thanks." He says, taking a drag. I don't say anything back. He stay there for a while and I'm not sure what to think of it. "You're Naruto, right?" Sasuke asks. "Yeah." I reply, not looking up. "I'm Sasuke." He says. "Nice to meet you." I say, taking a long inhale, it's the only thing keeping my hands steady. "You too." He smiles. He sits down next to me and all I can think of is how fast my heart is beating. I take another drag off of my cigarette and let it rush through me. "So you draw?" Sasuke asks. I stay silent for a minute, but the question is itching in my throat. "I'm sorry, don't take this the wrong way, but why is the most popular guy in school talking to a loner like me?" I ask. Sasuke chuckles and that sends a chill down my spine, I'm glad I'm wearing a jacket so he can't see my goose bumps. He takes a drag from his cigarette. "I like the loners." He says and I take a chance and look at him. He's looking right into my eyes and I try hard to keep my composure. "Your eyes are different from any I've ever seen." Sasuke says. I wasn't expecting that at all. "I could say the same about yours." I say. Sasuke smiled and took a final drag off of his cigarette and flicked it. I looked back down at my sketchbook. "I'll see you around Naruto." Sasuke said and walk away. I waited until he was a safe distance away for me to let my hands shake. I couldn't believe that I let myself get that weak around him. I'm always so good at induratizing my heart. The higher I build my wall, the more distance I keep between me and everyone else, the safer I'll be.

/~***~\\\\\

I walk into my apartment and lock the door. I open the screen door and let the fresh air flow in. My apartment is a mess, mostly paper and pencils on the floor. I decide it would be a good time to clean since my mind is still swirling from what happened at school.

My apartment smells like stale cigarette smoke and dust. I'm not here as much as I should be, but when I'm in this quiet place, I think too much and that's not good for me. While cleaning, I find little things I wish I could have forgotten, which is probably why I didn't clean until now. Memories of my old life; pictures, letters, and small items. My mother's necklace sat behind my desk, I opened the locket and I see her smiling face. I never met her, but I feel like we would have been best friends. She had the most beautiful red hair and the most sincere smile that I've ever seen. I set the locket on my bedside table and leave it open, it makes me feel like she might be there, and I would never admit that I really need her here. I open my sketchbook and look at the work I started. It's a tree with the roots making a cage in the ground. I begin to draw birds and other creatures surrounding the tree and then I draw myself in the cage of roots. I express my true feelings in art far too well and it's actually scary, because the truth is, I love being alone, but I hate it at the same time.


End file.
